Up Where You Are
by Nubiangeek63
Summary: Mckay falls for an alien women and is swept up in an adventure in the process.


Title: Up Where You Are

Author: NubianGeek

Show: StarGate: Atlantis

Since arriving at the Atlantis station, Rodney had mixed feelings about everything. He was excited about being on Atlantis, but he was lonely.

He had been lonely on Earth, but would always hide behind his work rather than face his obvious loneliness. Now, he was continuing what he had started on Earth.

He had battled with depression. In fact, some might say that he is manic depressive.

He had never been that popular with the ladies. Inevitably, he would show off his great intellect and this would turn off the women. Also, his painful shyness would get in the way.

Now, he longed to have someone to talk to, someone who thought that he was wonderful.

He was thinking about this as he made his way to the conference room. The mood around the room was tense. Lt. Sheppard and his crew had just returned from their adventures with the Genii. Everyone knew that they had managed to escape a situation that could have easily turned very ugly.

"All right, all right, everyone calm down." Dr. Weir said as she tried to get the room under control.

"There is no doubt that we must find them on our own."

Everyone agreed on this, but it was at this point that the civil conversation broke.

"Their people introduced us to the Genii." An angry technician discussed this as he pointed at Teyla.

Teyla, who had, at first, felt guilty about the incident, now felt that it was not her fault.

"We have had many dealings with the Genii in the past, and we encountered none of these problems." The accusation that she didn't speak was that the people from Earth were causing all of the trouble.

"If you're talking about me, aren't you glad that we found out about the Genii instead of blindly trusting . . . "

Sheppard didn't finish his sentence, as he realized that his statement could easily apply to Teyla and her people.

While the argument was raging, McKay just sat there. He didn't contribute. He didn't argue. This was totally out of character. Weir made a mental note to speak to him alone later to get his take on things.

Later, Weir found McKay alone in the lab.

"So, what's your opinion on everything?" she asked. He knew what she was referring to, but he seemed to be in a daze. He even jumped when she approached.

"Uh, I don't really have an opinion." He said matter-of-factly. This almost floored Weir. McKay always had an opinion on something.

"Are you okay?" She asked, in her mothering tone.

"I'm fine." He lied.

Weir could tell that he was lying.

"Okay, so what's really bothering you?" she asked.

He almost told her, but decided, at the last minute, not to tell her. She didn't press him further.

They had come to a consensus, and decided to approach a group of people called the Delarians. Teyla had said that these people were even more peaceful than the Genii, and the were more technologically advanced. The crew planned on making a trip to Delar the next day. Sheppard, Ford, Teyla, and McKay prepared for the journey.

McKay didn't know what it was, but he felt as if something exciting was going to happen during this trip. He wasn't frightened. Whatever it was, it was something good.

As they landed on the planet, McKay could feel the excitement building, but he didn't let anyone else know. He had the same disinterested look on his face that he always did. They could already see the people gathering as their Puddle jumper landed. Teyla made sure that she was out front because they stood a better chance of the people recognizing her. It had been several years since one of her people had been to this planet. She, herself, had never been. She neglected to tell this to Sheppard.

They were greeted by Olar, who seemed to be the leader of the Delarians. With Olar was his daughter, Natali who was the spiritual leader of the people. The crew couldn't help but notice the strong resemblance to the Egyptian people of Earth. Everyone was immediately thinking of the Gra'uld. McKay was only looking at Natali.

After introductions were made, Olar invited the crew to a festival in their honor. Sheppard didn't seem all that excited about the festival, while the others saw the looks on the people's faces, and they couldn't resist.

There was lots of food and drink being served by beautiful women. Sheppard looked cow-eyed at the women, to the disdain of Teyla. McKay only had eyes for Natali.

A little later, after much eating and drinking, the music, which had been playing during the course of the meal, swelled dramatically. McKay looked up to see Natali standing in the performance ring. She was wearing a beautiful, flowing gown, and had a huge smile on her face. Then, the music began, and Natali began to move. It wasn't that her dance was sensual in any way, but it sure did get Rodney's attention. He swallowed hard.

"Oh wow . . . !" He exclaimed, not caring who heard. Ford, who was sitting nearest to him, looked in his direction and smiled.

As she was dancing, Natali looked in Rodney's direction. She smiled as she saw the look on Rodney's face. Her dancing was driving him wild.

When her dance was finished, she came down to join the others. It was no coincidence that she sat down next to Rodney.

The team thought that Rodney was going to have a heart attack with Natali sitting there next to him. He didn't know what to do. Natali was speaking casually with everyone as they continued to eat and drink. Rodney could think of nothing but Natali sitting next to him.

The team thought that Rodney was going to have a heart attack with Natali sitting there next to him. He didn't know what to do. Natali was speaking casually with everyone as they continued to eat and drink. Rodney could think of nothing but Natali.

At some point in the evening, Natali took Rodney's hand and led him away from the group. The others just smiled knowingly.

It was a beautiful night. The sky was bright with the lights of the evening. Natali continued to hold Rodney's hand as they walked.

Natali could tell that Rodney was very shy, and normally, so was she. But, she was highly attracted to this man.

"It's a beautiful night, isn't it?" Natali asked suddenly.

"Y-Yes, it's very lovely." Rodney stammered, as it was very obvious that he was not talking about the sky.

Suddenly, their eyes met, and all fear left them. Rodney noticed that Natali had gorgeous blue-green eyes that contrasted dramatically with her dark brown skin. Natali touched Rodney's face, and smiled.

Rodney took a deep intake of air because her smile looked like the sun coming out from behind a cloud.

Natali kissed Rodney shyly on the lips. He could not imagine that anything could feel so good. He held her tightly, and deepened the kiss. Rodney was filled with great happiness.

At that moment, the night was shattered by the sound of gunfire. Both Rodney and Natali were surprised as they were grabbed and pulled apart. They each were taken away separately.

Rodney didn't know what to think. It was such a shock to be so happy one minute, and to be in total fear the next.

Somehow, Rodney had ended up underground. He didn't know how. He hadn't noticed when he had gone underground. All he could feel was the muzzle of the weapon that his captor poked into his back.

Natali, where was she? It was too dark to tell if she were with them, but, somehow, he didn't think that she was.

Finally, he was put into a room, if you could call it that. It had an iron door that clanged shut. His spirits fell when he heard that sound.

Out of the gloom and darkness, Rodney could see a shadowy figure approaching. The figure was carrying a torch. The figure opened the door with a huge key, and then placed the torch in a sconce on the wall.

"So, you are one of the humans that have been sent here to side with the Delarians."

Rodney noticed that it was a statement and not a question.

"Uh, we did come to befriend the Delarians. Aren't you one of the Delarians?" Rodney was confused. The man simply smiled at Rodney's confusion.

Well, if you're not going to say anymore, neither am I, Rodney thought. Then, he thought about Natali.

"The girl. Where have you taken her?" Rodney asked.

The man smiled again. Rodney didn't like that smile.

They had seen the two, kissing in the moonlight.

"Oh, you mean Princess Natali? She is quite safe. She is _with _us."

It took a minute for his meaning to become clear.

Did he mean that Natali was one of them? Then that means that she lured him into capture. She had used him.

The crew, as well as the Delarians, heard the sound of weapon fire. They all ran in that direction. Sheppard and the others had seen Rodney walking off with Natali in that very direction.

The Delarians, who seemed to know where they had gone, reached the clearing before the others.

"There are signs of a great struggle here." One of the Delarians said. Everyone began looking, but there was no sign of Rodney and Natali.

"Why have you done this to us?" Olar asked. It was just beginning to dawn on him that his daughter was missing.

"What? We haven't done anything. How do we know that you didn't kidnap our crewman? Your 'spiritual leader' spirited him outta here!" Sheppard yelled.

Both sides bristled for an attack.

"Wait, stop, we shouldn't do this. We shouldn't accuse each other in this way. We have come as friends, and we ask that you trust us." At first, Teyla's words seemed to sway the Delarians, but then Olar spoke up.

"You are one of them. Why should we even trust you now?"

They were at a stand off once again.

"None of this arguing is helping to find McKay and Natali." Ford said, matter-of-factly. They all seemed to agree on this.

Natali had been crying. She hated it. She was the spiritual leader of the Delarian people. She wasn't supposed to cry.

She had been so angry. How could she believe that Rodney would like her for the kind of person she was and not because she held an important position? Instead of crying, she knew what she must do.

"Oh Great One, deliver me, your child, from this darkness." She prayed. She knew that the Great One had heard her, but had chosen to leave her there for some purpose. Somehow, the newcomer Rodney and his people had formed an alliance with the rebels. Otherwise, how would they be able to pull off such a daring kidnaping? They had been lulled into complacency by thinking that the newcomers would protect them. But, in actuality, the newcomers were sent to distract them. The thought of her beloved Rodney involved in such a plot, distressed her. But, how could she ignore what was plain before her eyes?

"Uh, Dr. Weir, we have a little problem." Sheppard said. He then explained that McKay was missing.

"I'm coming there." She announced this suddenly. Sheppard tried to talk her out of it. He tried to convince her that it was a military issue.

"All right then, one of my scientists is missing, and that makes it my jurisdiction."

Sheppard opened his mouth to argue, but he knew that it would do no good. She had made up her mind.

When Weir arrived, the Delarians treated her with much respect, knowing that she was the Atlantean leader. However, some did view her with suspicion. They still thought that the Atlanteans were behind the kidnaping.

They all sat down, as Dr. Weir asked for a briefing from both sides on what had happened. Even though Sheppard knew the reason why McKay went off with Natali, he glossed that over. This was not lost on Dr. Weir, however. She didn't know what it was, but it angered her to think that this girl had lured Rodney out to be kidnaped.

"Could it be someone that you haven't told us about that has kidnaped them?" Weir asked. The Delarians looked nervously at each another.

"You mean all this time they were accusing us, you knew it was someone else?" Sheppard was really mad.

"We didn't know for sure. We have been having an . . . an internal problem." Olar explained.

"We are dealing with the rebels who have broken away from us. They could be behind this."

Sheppard was disgusted while Weir remained calm.

"So, where can we find these rebels?" she asked.

"We don't quite know. They hide and attack us from out of nowhere."

"Oh great!" Sheppard said.

After the figure left, Rodney was in utter despair. Not only did his friends not know where he was (hell, he didn't even know where he was) but, the woman that he thought he was falling in love with had betrayed him.

Then, he saw the familiar glow of the torchlight playing on the walls, and he heard voices.

"Yes, I heard that they are holding the Delarian spiritual leader as well. I think I will have to pay her a visit." Then there was crude laughter. Rodney shook the bars in anger. He had to get out of there.

He waited. He listened for the footsteps that he knew would come. He picked up the metal bowl that his food had been brought in, and stood by the door. When the footsteps finally did come, he was ready.

The door opened slowly, and McKay hit the guard on the head. McKay took the man's weapon and keys, and locked him in the cell.

"Now, if I can just get out of here without getting myself killed." McKay said. He ran along the corridors, not knowing where he was headed. When he came to an intersecting corridor, he didn't know which way to go. He was about to head off in another direction, when he heard crying.

He forgot all about thinking that Natali had betrayed him. He didn't hesitate in heading in the direction that lead to her.

"Natali." He whispered.

The crying stopped, and there was silence. He used the key, and opened the door.

He was so happy to see her that he rushed into the room and was about to hug her. Natali retreated to the back of the cell, and looked terrified. It was then that McKay knew for sure that Natali had nothing to do with his capture.

"Natali, please, you have to trust me." His eyes pleaded with her, and his eyes finally convinced her that he was telling the truth. She ran into his arms and he held her tightly. He would have liked to stay there in her arms, but he knew that they had to leave.

"Come on, we've got to get away from here." He said, as he kissed her quickly on the top of the head.

As the Atlanteans and the Delarians were talking, they all looked up to see a stranger approaching.

"I have a message from the Elarians." Weir and Sheppard realized that the Elarians must be the rebel group that had been referred to.

"Out leader wishes you to know that we have Princess Natali and we are using her to open negotiations between our peoples."

In the past, the Delarians had refused to negotiate with the Elarians.

Sheppard looked at Olar. It was obvious that the man was very angry. The messenger was waiting for an answer.

"We do not negotiate with kidnapers." Olar said through clenched teeth.

"Hey, wait a minute, what about our crewman?" Sheppard protested.

Rodney and Natali made their way outside.

"Now, Natali, whichway is it back to your village?"

Natali stopped and looked to be thinking about something.

"If we don't go back right away, my father will think that the Elarians still have me." Rodney looked confused.

"Uh, okay, and that will do what, exactly?"

Natali smiled. He's so cute, she thought.

"It will force my father to negotiate."

He tried to follow her logic.

"You're assuming that your father wants you back."He said, unemotionally.

Natali pretended to hit him in the arm, which ended with Rodney taking her into his arms and kissing her.

After a few minutes, Rodney pulled back and looked at her.

"I love you." He said softly. He looked into her eyes, and waited for a reply. She smiled, and there were tears in her eyes.

"I love you, too." She whispered back, as her voice shook.

"Oh God . . . " Rodney said as he swept Natali back up into his arms

**"_When You Say You Love Me"_**

Like the sound of silence calling,  
I hear your voice and suddenly  
I'm falling, lost in a dream.  
Like the echoes of our souls are meeting,  
You say those words and my heart stops beating.  
I wonder what it means.  
What could it be that comes over me?  
At times I can't move.  
At times I can hardly breathe.

When you say you love me  
The world goes still, so still inside and  
When you say you love me  
For a moment, there's no one else alive

You're the one I've always thought of.  
I don't know how, but I feel sheltered in your love.  
You're where I belong.  
And when you're with me if I close my eyes,  
There are times I swear I feel like I can fly  
For a moment in time.  
Somewhere between the Heavens and Earth ,  
And frozen in time, Oh when you say those words.

When you say you love me  
The world goes still, so still inside and  
When you say you love me  
For a moment, there's no one else alive

bridge:  
And this journey that we're on.  
How far we've come and I celebrate every moment.  
And when you say you love me,  
That's all you have to say.  
I'll always feel this way.

When you say you love meThe world goes still, so still inside and  
When you say you love me  
In that moment, I know why I'm alive

When you say you love me.  
When you say you love me.  
Do you know how I love you?

It rained that night, so Rodney and Natali found shelter in a cave. Rodney realized that the women in the Delarian culture were the Hunters and Gatherers as Natali was able to whip together a somewhat palatable evening meal for them. As they ate, Rodney began asking Natali more questions about her people.

"Tell me about your people. I was told that they were technologically advanced, but I see a very Agrarian society."

Natali took a bite of her stew, chewed it carefully, then looked back at Rodney.

"We used to be very advanced, I am told, but it was revealed to our ancestors that this was wrong. That is why the Elarians split from us. They did not want to give up the technology."

"Why don't they just form their own technological society?" Rodney asked.

"They don't have a power source."

"D-Did you say 'a power source'? By power source, do you mean that was how your ancestors were able to have technology?" Rodney asked expectantly.

Natali nodded as she gathered their leaves that they had been using as makeshift bowls and began cleaning up. Rodney absently began poking in the fire.

"Why does your father keep the power source from the Elarians? I mean, if the Delarians don't want it, why do you keep it from them?" She looked at him with those big eyes of hers.

"I don't know. For some reason my father feels that if we did give the power source to them, they would destroy us. It is the only thing that keeps us alive."

Rodney didn't try to make sense of that at the moment. He was too busy looking at Natali and thinking about her.

"Natali, I-I want to make love to you." There was silence for a moment before Natali responded by kissing Rodney.

Weir called Sheppard over to speak with him alone.

"So, what do you think about all of this?" she asked.

"I think we have a location on the rebels. Ford followed that messenger. He thinks that he can lead us back there."

"Well, what are we waiting for?"

When the Atlanteans followed Ford to the Elarian's stronghold, they didn't tell the Delarians that they were leaving.

"We don't want the Elarians thinking that we lead the Delarians here. They might kill McKay and Natali." Teyla said.

They had the stronghold surrounded. Sheppard silently gave the order for them to move forward. The rebels were no match for the military force. Sheppard approached the man that appeared to be in charge.

"All right, where are they?" Sheppard asked, as he pointed his weapon at the man.

The man swallowed hard before answering.

"They're gone."

The next morning, Rodney awoke with Natali in his arms. He smiled as he realized how happy he was.

The sun was warm on their faces as it shone through the opening of the cave. Natali soon woke up.

"Good morning." Rodney said.

"How long have you been awake?" Natali asked.

"A while. I was watching you sleep." Natali smiled and Rodney felt as if the sun itself had been outshone. His mind was suddenly brought back to reality.

"We're going to have to go back, you know."

Natali hesitated. She knew they had to go back. She, more than anyone else, knew that her father would not negotiate even for her sake.

"I'm just worried that the Delarians might think that we were somehow behind the kidnaping." Rodney said. Natali felt bad about this.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen."

He wasn't mad at her. He couldn't be. He kissed her again.

His mind began to work ahead to when the Atlantean crew would have to leave the planet. What was he going to do?

Rodney and Natali made their way back to the village. They were hungry and cold, but otherwise unscathed.

By this time, Sheppard and his men had returned, and they were just planning a search, when Rodney and Natali came in.

"There you are. Where the hell have you been? The Elarians said that you escaped yesterday." Sheppard didn't want to admit it, but he was really worried.

By this time, others from the village had gathered, including Natali's father.

"Natali, my daughter . . . " Olar said, as he came forward and hugged Natali.

"Father, in light of this situation, would you please consider negotiating with the Elarians?"

Olar looked at the daughter that he almost lost. Even though it repulsed him to think of negotiating with those people, he knew that he would do it anyway.

"Yes, I will negotiate with the Elarians." He said reluctantly.

This sounded like good news to Weir and the others.

"And, Natali told me about a power source that could help us, and we, in turn, could help you." Rodney said with a flourish.

Everyone felt as if all of their problems had been solved. Rodney knew that they would be leaving soon.

"Natali, may I speak to you alone?" Everyone knew why he wanted to speak to Natali.

"We'll be leaving soon." Rodney began. Natali knew what that meant.

"Are you going to leave with your people?" She asked quietly. She already knew the answer.

"I have to go. It's my job." He knew that Natali didn't understand the meaning of the word job. He turned her to face him, and he looked directly into her yes.

"Come with me." Rodney asked tentatively. He knew as he was asking that it was not to be.

"I have to stay here and help mend our peoples. It is my . . . job."

Rodney took her into his arms and kissed her one last time.

On the way back to Atlantis, Ford noticed how quiet the usually talkative McKay, was, and he knew why.

"Hey, don't worry man, you'll see her again."

Rodney wanted to think that Ford was right, but he smiled as he thought, this was really going to give new meaning to the words 'long distance romance'.

Rodney looked out at the stars and prayed that Natali was looking up to where he was.

_**Up To Where You Are" **_

Who can say for certain  
Maybe you're still here  
I feel you all around me Your memory's so clear

Deep in the stillness  
I can hear you speak  
You're still an inspiration  
Can it be (?)  
That you are my  
Forever love  
And you are watching over me from up above

Fly me up to where you are  
Beyond the distant star  
I wish upon tonight  
To see you smile  
If only for awhile to know you're there  
A breath away's not far  
To where you are

Are you gently sleeping  
Here inside my dream  
And isn't faith believing  
All power can't be seen

As my heart holds you  
Just one beat away  
I cherish all you gave me everyday  
'Cause you are my  
Forever love  
Watching me from up above

And I believe  
That angels breathe  
And that love will live on and never leave

Fly me up  
To where you are Beyond the distant star  
I wish upon tonight  
To see you smile  
If only for awhile  
To know you're there  
A breath away's not far  
To where you are

I know you're there  
A breath away's not far  
To where you are


End file.
